Croatia signs EU accession treaty

Croatia is signing its long-awaited accession treaty that will bring it into the European Union in 2013 after ratification by the legislatures of the bloc's 27 member nations.

EU president Herman Van Rompuy welcomed the move, saying Croatia will be an "active observer" in all EU forums until it becomes a full member. Croatia's entry talks lasted seven years and were held up repeatedly due to territorial disputes with neighboring Slovenia and demands that it arrest remaining war crimes suspects. (AP)